Catalog icon Soft Surroundings opens first Pa. store in King of Prussia

Submitted photo. Soft Surroundings recently opened its first Pennsylvania store at The Court at King of Prussia.

UPPER MERION — A lot of women have a soft spot for the latest tenant at The Court at King of Prussia because, to paraphrase a popular ’70s ballad, this store is killing them softly with its merchandise.

Soft Surroundings, which opened on the lower level near Bloomingdale’s last month, is more than a name — it’s a way of life for the St. Louis, Mo.-based company launching its first Pennsylvania store, which is artfully merchandised with everything from women’s apparel to furniture, home decorative accessories and beauty items.

Whether it’s a Tuscan Scroll pillow or a Silk Soiree sweater or Chantelle quilt, anything sold here that touches a woman’s sensibilities is rated with a softness rating, from “so soft” to “heavenly soft” to “ultimate softness.”

“It’s a lot to put in one store, but it works very well for us, because our philosophy is for women to put themselves first so that they can take better care of their family and friends and live a happier, more fulfilling life,” explained event planner Katie Jones, who recently helped orchestrate a grand opening celebration that had women lined up for three hours in anticipation.

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“By taking care of yourself, that’s where the beauty comes in, and also in creating a home oasis. So that’s why we hit all aspects, everything you could possibly need… except groceries.”

Gourmet edibles may not be found in the store, but they are abundantly featured on the company’s website and in the catalog, the tried-and-true format that propelled Soft Surroundings to a start that was anything but soft when it was introduced by founder and President Robin Sheldon back in 1999.

“At the grand opening a customer said she felt like she just walked into our catalog, and that’s why our stores are so original because we do our best to take the catalog and put it into real life for our customers,” Jones said. “The website does a good job of translating everything, but there’s nothing like seeing the item and feeling it.”

With a faithfully large catalog following in the area, the company had long targeted King of Prussia as the site of its eleventh store, said Jones, who added that the next state to soon go soft on the unique SS wares would be Texas.

With its premier flagship store having opened in St. Louis in 2005, the company announced last year that it had formed a strategic partnership with private equity firm Brentwood Associates to focus on expanding its retail presence, as well as its catalog and online business.

“We have customers all over the country and our stores are in very specific places, but we don’t have any stores out west,” Jones said. “So all of those customers in California, Arizona, Nevada are all still catalog and web shoppers.”

Soft Surroundings designers create the majority of fashions and bedding in St. Louis, with many traveling to Southern France for inspiration. Those European jaunts have yielded such singularly elegant pieces as the Louis XV Bergere chair and Carina chandelier.

“We bring back these original French antiques that are one of a kind and try to recreate our own items,” Jones explained. “And with our clothing, we are aiming for the baby boomer population, so we’re not necessarily outfitting teenagers. We choose clothing that is soft and comfortable but still stylish, and where a woman will be able to accessorize the way she wants to, while maintaining the uniqueness of her style without sacrificing the comfort.”

A customer from Plymouth Meeting who was spotted moving gleefully from one department to another recently, showed off a glittering bracelet she had purchased during her many years of SS catalog shopping.

“I was so excited when I found out they were opening this store,” she said, declining to give her name. “I’ve already been here a couple of times to shop and I’m sure I’ll be back. I love this store.”